Weather Forecast

Storm update: Blizzard will leave the area Saturday, but not before an additional 4-8 inches of snow

Alexis Starr of Bemidji reacts after sliding down the hill next to the Lake Bemidji waterfront Thursday. Pioneer Photo/Eric Stromgren1 / 3

Ricky Wike clears the sidewalk Friday in front of Bethany Free Lutheran Church in Bemidji after a Christmas day service. Pioneer Photo/Eric Stromgren2 / 3

Traffic moves along a snowy Bemidji Avenue Christmas night. The National Weather Service is forecasting an additional four to eight inches of snow to fall in the region through Friday night. Pioneer Photo/Eric Stromgren3 / 3

The slow moving holiday winter storm should leave the Bemidji area by Saturday afternoon, but not before dropping another four to eight inches of snow according to the National Weather Service.

The second wave of the storm will continue push through the area Friday night and the winter storm warning for Bemidji remains in effect until noon Saturday.

About a foot of snow is on the ground in Bemidji as of Friday night.

The heaviest snow is expected to fall south of Bemidji with smaller totals near the Canadian border. By the time the system leaves the area, total snowfall amounts will range from 12 to 20 inches.

The National Weather Service is advising travel only in emergency situations as the storm, which will be accompanied by high winds, will cause blizzard conditions in parts of the area until the warning expires.

The winds are expected to gust out of the east from 15 to 25 miles per hour Friday.

Blizzard conditions are expected west of a line extending from Roseau through Fosston and Park Rapids. Strong winds combined with heavy snow may cause roads to become impassable.

East of the Red River Valley, winds will gust up to 20-miles per hour, which will cause reduced visibility in blowing snow.

Those winds will diminish in intensity as the day passes on Saturday.

Duluth remains under a blizzard warning until 6 a.m. Saturday. Areas along the Lake Superior shore may see 15-18 inches of new snow with local amounts higher than 20 inches anticipated. The heaviest of the snow in that area began Thursday and is expected to last through Friday night. During that time, the snow is expected to fall at a rate of one to two inches per hour. Winds could also reach gusts of 50 miles per hour around the Twin Ports area.

Duluth had received 19 inches of wet, heavy snow by Friday night. The National Weather Service calls travel around Duluth under the blizzard warning 'life threatening.'

Minneapolis is no longer under a winter storm warning as of Friday night and the Star Tribune reported a snowfall total of 13 inches in North St. Paul.

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